Plastic holder and the like



Jan. 29, 1957 s WATERMAN 2,779,459

PLASTIC HOLDER AND THE LIKE Filed May 1, 1955 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

WE/L s. WATER/'7 a N Jan. 29, 1957 N. s. WATERMAN 2,779,459

PLASTIC HOLDER AND THE LIKE FiledMay 1, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

NEIL- 6. WA rekr mw United States Patent PLASTIC HOLDER AND THE LIKE Neil S. Waterman, Stamford, Conn. Application May l, 1953, Serial No. 352,444

3 Claims. (Cl. 206-1) This invention relates to containers such as holders capable of many alternate uses.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a holder shown as a typewriter ribbon holder which, after removal of the ribbon, may then be used as a liquid-containing support for flowers or support and container for any other objects.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a holder of the above type whichis formed entirely of two unitary members of plastic. 1

It is another object of the present invention to provide a holder wherein a removable cover is releasably retained by the body portion of a holder without any metal parts or catches.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a holder bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, is attractive in appearance, is easy to use and efiicient in operation for its intended purpose.

For other objects and a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typewriter ribbon holder embodying the features of the present invention and shown ina closed position;

. Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the cover of the holder removed. along with one of the wrapped typewriter ribbons;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a detail of the cover securing construction prior to securement of the said cover;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the cover sliding into its closed position;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the position of the cover within the cover securing construction just prior to locking;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Figs. 5 and 6 and showing the cover in the locked position, and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the holder in operative use as a liquid-containing receptacle for flowers, a portion thereof being shown broken away.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing in which similar reference numerals identify corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown a typewriter ribbon holder, referred to collectively as 10, and including a body portion 11, substantially as illustrated.

The body portion 11 consists of a pair of side walls 12 connected along their lower edges by a bottom 13 and at their side edges by end walls 14. The side walls 12, bottom 13 and end walls 14 are preferably formed of plastic.

'ice

It will be noted that the upper edges of side walls 12 are arcuate in shape and are provided on their outer surfaces with protruding reinforcing strips 15, also formed of plastic, and suitably or integrally secured thereto. It will also be noted that the end walls 14 extend upwardly only to the ends of the arcuate upper edges of side walls 12, providing a substantially semi-cylindrical opening into the holder. The vertical edges of side walls 12 below the arcuate portions are preferably curved inwardly and downwardly whereby to receive within the holder 10 a pair of wrapped typewriter ribbons 16,..disposed side by side.

The side walls 12 adjacent the upper edges of end walls 14 are provided with cut out portions 17, thereinforcing strips 15 extending beyond these out out portions in extensions 18. For such cut outs 17 and extensions 13 are provided, substantially as illustrated, at each side of both end walls 14. The extensions 18 on their inner faces are each integrally formed with lugs 19 extending inwardly, the lugs 19 having a curved bottom and being freely spaced from both sides of cut out portions 17 for a purpose to be hereinafter referred to.

A cover forthe holder 10 is provided and consists of a rectangular strip of plastic 20 adapted to fit between the arcuate upper edges of sides 12 extending to the upper edges of strips 15 and bent to the contour thereof, substantially as illustrated. Opposite ends of the plastic strip 2th are provided with flanges 21 extending outwardly therefrom. The strip 21) is also provided at its cen-.

a purpose.

tral portion with a plurality of openings 22 for to be hereinafter referred to.

To secure the cover 20 in proper position, one end thereof is pushed downwardly between s.des 12 until the flange 21 thereof slips under the lugs 19, as shown in Fig. 3. The cover, is then gripped. in a manner as shown in dotted outline in Fig. 3, and the other end thereof flexed inwardly until the other end and flange 21 thereof is in the position of Fig. 5. This end is then pushed downwardly along the top edge of sides 12 until it reaches out out 17, as shown in Fig. 6. At this point the flange 21 slides downwardly intermediate cut out 17 and lug 19 until it comes to rest. on the upper edges of end walls 14, as shown in Fig. 7. The end 21 is then released to snap into the position shown in Fig. 8

with the flange 21 disposed beneath the lugs 19. Thus, the cover 20 is flexed within the upper edges of sides 12 with the ends thereof being retained by lugs 19, as shown in Fig. 3. The natural resilience of the cover 20 serves to exert an outward force at the ends thereof against the lugs 19, these outward ends being retained in operative engagement with the lugs by the flanges 21 abutting the bottoms of the latter. To remove the cover 20 it is only necessary to reverse the above operations, squeezing the ends together and permitting the upward movement of flanges 21 between lugs 19 and cut outs 17, as will be obvious. Thus, the cover 20 may be readily and easily snapped into and out of the closing position with a minimum of effort.

The holder 1% is sufiiciently wide to accommodate two typewriter ribbons 16 therein, and may be used to ship the retailer the latter. Preferably transparent plastic will be used in fabricating the holder 10,. permitting thereby the observation of the ribbon to increase its sales appeal. After the ribbons have been removed, the body 11 may be filled with water, as shown in Fig. 9, and the cover 21 snapped into place, the openings 22 receiving the stems of flowers which extend downwardly into the water. Thus, the now empty typewriter ribbon holder 10 also serves as a convenient liquid-containing receptacle for fresh flowers or otherwise and may be used for many purposes with or without liquid therein.

The level of the water within the body portion 11 can be observedthrough' the transparent plastic material so as to permit the observer. to detect when it is necessary to add-more liquid without having to remove the cover 20 and the flowers disposed therethrough when the device is used as a flower holder.

It will be apparent that the holder 10 may beformed.

entirely of two unitary plastic members, adapting the same. for mass production techniques at a low cost to,

manufacturer and consumer.

While I have shown the holder 10 as being used in connection with typewriter ribbons, it will be readily understood that it may also be used to contain other items, the shape of theholder being conformed to the external shape of the items to be held, without departing from thescope of theinvention.

While various changes may bemade in the detail construction, it shall'be understood that such changes shall be within the scope and spirit of the present invention, as defined by the appended. claims.

I claim:

1. A typewriter ribbon holder comprising a bottom wall, side walls connected along opposite longitudinal edges of said bottom wall, said side walls at the top thereof being substantially arcuate in shape, end walls connected to the lateral ends. of said bottom wall and terminating at the ends of the arcuate top edges of said side walls, said bottom, side and end walls forming a liquid-tight compartment for receiving the typewriter ribbons, a flat arcuately bent and resilient cover fitting between and following the contour of the upper edges of said side walls, releasable means for retaining said cover in said position, said cover having a plurality of openings adapted to receive the stems of fresh flowers whereby the holder may be used as a liquid-containing receptacle for flowers after the typewriter ribbons have been removed, said means comprising reinforcing strips secured to the outside of said. side walls along the upper edges thereof, said strips extending upwardly beyond the arcuate top edges of said side walls and providing with said arcuate top edges a pair of arcuate shoulders adapted to receive the said cover, the ends of said side walls adjacent the top edges of said end walls having cut out portions in each corner, said strips extending beyond. said out out portions and having inwardly extending Ingsspaced from said cut out portions, and transverse flanges carried by and extending outwardly fromthe ends of said cover member, said flanges being adapted to slide downwardly between said lugs and said cut out portions and to move outwardly under the natural resilience of said cover whereby to engage the bottoms of said lugs and to retain said cover in the closed position.

2. A typewriter ribbon holder comprising a substantially rectangular bottom wall integrally formed along its opposite longitudinal edges with upstanding side walls, the vertical edges'of, said side walls curving upwardly and outwardly from said bottom wall and having substantially arcuate top edges, end walls integrally formed at the lateral ends of. said bottom wall, said end walls extending upwardly and outwardly along the vertical edges of said side. walls and terminating at the bottom ends of the arcuate upper edges thereof whereby to present a substantially semi-cylindrical opening, arcuate reinforcing strips secured to the outside of said side Walls at the upper edges thereof, said strips extending upwardly beyond the arcuate top edgesoflsaid side walls whereby to provide with said arcuate top edges a pair of arcuate shoulders, a flat arcuately bent cover adapted to rest on said shoulders with the ends thereof adjacent the upper ends of said end walls, the ends of said side walls at the top edges thereof having substantially rectangular cut outs, the ends of said strips extending beyond the said cut outs and being provided with inwardly extending lugs adapted to abut the ends of said cover, and lateral, outwardly extending flanges carried by the opposite ends of saidcover and adapted to engage the bottoms of said inwardly extending lugs whereby to resiliently retain said cover in the closed'position, said cover being provided with a plurality of openings whereby the holder may be converted to a liquid-containing receptacle for fresh flowers after the typewriter ribbons have been removed andfor other engaging purposes.

3. A typewriter ribbon holder according to claim 2, said holder being formed entirely of transparent plastic.

References, Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,282,546 Denison Oct. 22, 1918 1,436,052 Peacock Nov. 21, 1922 1,864,877v White June 28, 1932 1,926,588 Hayden Sept. 12, 1933 2,102,924. Thomas Dec. 21, 1937 2,357,162. Barbour Aug. 29, 1944 

